Fallingpaw slipped out of the camp entrance. The image of the three cats, all related to Stormfur, flashed in her mind. Their silver bodies merged as one, and she struggled not to fall over in confusion. What is going on? Why is it surrounding me? She thought, her mouth open to scent for prey. A rustle in the bushes caught her senses and she turned around. Four eyes stared out at her.
"Who or what are you?" She asked. She stood her ground as the pairs of eyes glanced at each other. They didn't reply, so Fallingpaw leaped at them. She landed directly on top of two kits.
"Watch it!" The she-cat hissed. Fallingpaw stepped backward and stared angrily at them.
"Sootkit, shut up. I am older then you and actually allowed to be out here. Swallowkit, stop hissing like I am an enemy warrior. What are you two doing here?" She hissed at her brother and sister. The gray tabby tom sat down and let his fur lie flat.
"We were just exploring. And you startled us!" He replied. His dark blue eyes were wide. Sootkit lashed her tail over his mouth.
"He means we asked mother if we could and she said we could." Sootkit mewed. Her eyes danced back and forth, giving away her lie.
"You are a terrible liar. Besides, no queen would allow her kits out. When I was a kit I asked and Cindersong said she would never let her kits out until they were apprentices." Fallingpaw laughed. She picked up Sootkit, who tried to flee, and pushed her brother forward with her muzzle. Only halfway back to camp, she heard a loud yowl.
"They're gone! Sootkit and Swallowkit are gone!" Cindersong yowled. Gasps of surprise and fear rippled just as loud. Sootkit squeaked in Fallingpaw's mouth and Swallowkit shrunk back.
"We will send out a search party at once!" Bramblestar called over the noise. Fallingpaw's eyes widened and she set Sootkit down to grab both kits by the scruff. They let out little mewls as she ran with them dangling, the kits bumping against each other and their carrier. She burst into the clearing and Cindersong mewed happily.
"They are alright! Thank you Fallingpaw!" She meowed, rubbing her muzzle against her daughter's.
"Where did you find them?" Bramblestar asked as Cindersong and Ashfur licked their kits gently.
"They found me. I was about to go hunting and I found them watching me from behind." Fallingpaw replied. Bramblestar nodded, his mind cleared.
"Is something wrong?" Sorreltail asked, padding up to her. The other cats had returned to their dens as the sun was going down.
"I don't think I am made out to be a ThunderClan warrior." Fallingpaw replied.
"Not made to be a ThunderClan warrior? Nonsense! You have pure ThunderClan blood and you know it!" She argued.
"I don't think blood really matters." Fallingpaw pointed out. Sorreltail shook her head.
"I have seen your fighting moves when you train with Snowpaw. You are excellent, especially if you were to be fighting a WindClan or ShadowClan cat." Sorreltail mewed.
"Yeah, but I can also beat a ThunderClan cat paws down. The one Clan I can never seem to get right is RiverClan. Besides, I can't hunt for my life. I can't even catch a mouse in my dreams!" Fallingpaw shook her head and looked at her paws.
"You are still young." Sorreltail meowed, and with that she turned away and disappeared into the warriors' den. Fallingpaw still wasn't convinced. I wish there was some way I could try out the other Clans. Then I could see if I really belong in ThunderClan or another. She thought. She closed her eyes and wished for a sign from StarClan. She opened them and gazed into the sky. Above her, Silverpelt looked like a river of stars, spirits of her warrior ancestors. She slipped back into the apprentices' den and closed her eyes.
She sat at the edge of a river, staring into the swirling water in deep concentration. The sun burned into her pelt, making it uncomfortably warm. Behind her, only the wind stirred the bushes. She could feel eyes searing into her fur.
"Whose there?" She called. No answer. She looked back into the water, gasping as she saw what was reflected. As if behind her, many cats' faces gazed back at her. At the very front, the two silver cats and the former medicine cat and leader, Firestar and Leafpool. As she watched them in the water, Firestar and Leafpool turned away, making way for two toms. They smelled of RiverClan.
"Unwelcome and young will join together and a prophecy will be repeated. History will return and only those of old will remember falling's fate." All four cats mewed in unison.
"I know, but who are you?" Fallingpaw begged, whirling around. The forest was no longer there, but instead a whole forest lay ahead of her. No scent of the lake, no sign of her Clan. She turned again to look back into the water, but even the river was gone, replaced by a black Thunderpath. Monsters swiped past, ruffling her fur. She bounded away and into the forest. She passed a large clearing, at the center were four oak trees, though not as tall as the boulder in the middle. Same of the ground felt as if it had been churned up. Those places had saplings and new grass spreading throughout. She wanted to stop and explore the area she was in, but something kept pushing her. She was able to stop when she passed a river. To her surprise, the territory looked more like the first part of her dream. She followed the river, noticing the stepping stones. When she thought that she would have to turn back, an island came into view. She crossed over to it. Around her, starry cats from RiverClan acted as though they were alive. She recognized the two toms from earlier.
"Where am I?" She asked, bounding up to one.
"You will find out later." Fallingpaw spun around. The silver she-cats were once again behind her.
"A-are you Silverpaw's kin?" She asked. The silver cats nodded.
"I am her half-sister, Feathertail. This is my mother, Silverstream." The smaller one purred.
"We died before the Great Journey." Silverstream added.
"I was with Emberpaw's mother when the chosen cats had to go. My mother died giving birth to me and Stormfur." Feathertail finished.
"Oh. But wait, why did you come to me, and not one of my own Clan?" Fallingpaw asked. They shook their heads and disappeared.
Fallingpaw found herself blinking open her eyes back in her own territory. Emberpaw was gazing at her worriedly and Firepaw was nowhere in sight.
"Are you alright? You were mumbling in your sleep." She commented. Fallingpaw nodded.
"Just a dream."